Possum---- Friend or Foe?

This past weekend at a National Park exhibit, I read that the possum was initially introduced to New Zealand for its fur.  A fur pelt hung nearby with a sign, "pet the possum". I followed the instructions and felt the nice, soft fur.

The first week we were in TeKauwhata, we were invited for dinner at Dr. Knight's (30 acre kiwi farm).  We asked if there was anything they would like us to do when we stay at their home the last two weeks of our stay and Jeff responded, "Keep an eye on the possum traps and put the dead ones in the kiwi field.  The trap throttles the possum."  I remember thinking,  "How could they kill those cute little animals and I certainly hope we don't have to dispose of a dead one!"

This morning I took my cup of coffee to the deck and was greeted by this sight--------

You may be asking, "Why would anyone want to kill a possum?"  Here's the answer as described in The Lonely Planet, "No visitor to New Zealand will go for long without hearing about the damage done to the bush by the bad-mannered Australian import, the bush-tailed possum."  A list of mammal pests was given.  On the list were the possum, deer, rabbits, stoats, pigs, and goats.  They concluded that the most destructive by far is the possum.  70 million possums chew through millions of tons of foliage each year despite the DOC's (Department of Conservation) efforts to control them.  In addition to the DOC, Will is doing his part to save the kiwi vines.  Will successfully unloaded the trap, depositing the possum under the kiwis.  When Will picked up the empty trap we were startled by a loud snap.  Will chose to bait the trap with an apple at a later date!    

Three Friendly Kiwis

We have met many kind and friendly kiwis.  I'd like to tell you about three such persons.  The first one is Mary whom we met on the ferry.  I wrote about her in a previous blog, but I often think about her kind gesture of inviting us to spend the night at her cottage on the beach.

The second encounter occurred when we went to Hahei last weekend.  We were asking how to get to the start of the Cathedral Cove Walk when a lady named Sue piped in, "I live up on the top of the hill by the car park and it is "chocka full".  I know another beautiful hike that connects with the Cathedral Cove Walk."  When we finished "tramping" we spotted Sue and her husband along with another couple playing the French game----petanque, rolling silver metal balls toward a target.  Sue asked how we liked the trail and a conversation followed.  Then Sue asked us if we would like to go kayaking with them the next day as she had four kayaks and they could borrow a couple kayaks from the neighbors.  Unfortunately the next day was cool and rainy so instead of kayaking Sue invited us to their holiday home.  We followed them up the hill to a home that could have been featured in Architectural Digest---------stucco on the outside and ultra sleek contemporary on the inside.  As we drank coffee and nibbled on a fancy fruitcake, we had an entertaining conversation.  We exchanged phone numbers and addresses as they live in the Aukland area and we may be able to get together later.

The third encounter occurred this morning when I stopped at the Friday Market.  I looked at the fruit and produce, telling the saleslady that I would be back later as I didn't bring in my purse.  A woman next to me handed me a $20 bill and said that I could pay her back later.  She recognized my voice as I had talked with her on the phone about shipping her jams and black raspberry vinaigrette dressing back to the states.  I had never met her.

Would you invite a stranger to sleep in your home, go kayaking, or loan them money? 

Making Olive Oil

Warren manages Jonio's Olive Grove Estate and is part of the team making the olive oil.  He is showing the olives as they look now.   They are a variety called Koroneiki Olives which are small.  They are as big as they get, but as they mature they will turn a purple-red.  The first step in olive oil production is to dump the olives into a grinder (second picture) where they are ground into a thick paste.  Next the paste is pressed using the second machine which has 20 silver filter plates which remove the pits and skin.  The liquid is collected at the bottom of the machine and put into a large plastic container.  Here the water separates from the oil.  We have been enjoying our bottle of Jonio's Extra Virgin Olive Oil.  On the bottle it says, "These olives produce a complex, soft, smooth and delicate fresh flavour with a slight peppery finish."  Whenever I cook with olive oil I will think of Jonio's!

Two Weeks Amongst the Olive Trees

This was our last day at Jonio's Olive Grove Estates.  The first picture shows the agapanthus which have been referred to as weeds by several of the locals.  I love them!  The second picture shows the entrance to our flat.  I enjoyed this view of the 2,000 olive trees on the property.   The third picture captures a pastoral scene viewed from our flat.  It was such a peaceful and serene setting.  I will miss this place!

Kiwifruit

It was fun to show Dottie and Scoot around TeKauwhata.  Before traveling to New Zealand, neither one of us knew much about kiwifruit.  It is a vine similar to grape vines which form a trellis, keeping the fruit up high and easier to pick.  Dottie and I are examining the fruit which will not be ready for a few months.  The kiwi fruit, originally known as the Chinese gooseberry, was introduced to New Zealand from China in 1906, and thrived best in the Bay of Plenty.  I learned that Chili is New Zealand's main kiwi fruit competitor. 

I discovered that there is a yellow-fleshed, smooth skinned novelty hybrid that is attracting lots of attention for its sweet-tasting flesh.  Tonight at the supermarket, Will and I spotted containers of these kiwis as well as individual ones.  The sign read, $2.92 per punnet and $3.90 a kilogram.  We had to ask,  "What is a punnet?"  It's a container.  We came home with a punnet holding 10 of these Kiwilicious Gold.  I hope we like them!

Will and I will be living on Dr. Knight's 30 acre kiwi farm for the next two weeks.  We will learn more about this furry fruit.   (Picture taken at his farm.) 

Our First Guests----Friends from Loveland

Dottie and Scoot Childers, friends from Loveland, spent two weeks in the Phillipines with their son Chip and his family before traveling to New Zealand.  We made plans for them to come to Jonio's Olive Grove Estate and Accomodations, spending the night in the flat next door.  It was fun to  share our experiences and to hear about their travel adventures.

The picture shows us eating at a tavern/pub recommended by the locals where the portions are huge----lamb shanks and steak fillets.

"Tramping" to Cathedral Cove

After enjoying our personal spa on Hot Water Beach, we drove a short distance to Hahei Beach-------beautiful fine white sand!  As the New Zealanders say, "We tramped to Cathedral Cove."  It was a gorgeous coastal walk with spectacular views of the ocean which featured rock outcroppings and small islands.  Cathedral Cove is known for its gigantic stone arch and natural waterfall "shower".  Will fell asleep on the sand and I entertained myself by "people watching".  When he woke up many of the tourists had returned to Hahei and we strolled back, meeting few people on the trail.  We explored Stingray Bay and Gemstone Bay on our return.  We walked down to the water's edge to see the bays and then I would "huff and puff" back up to the trail.  The energy expended was well worth the views.

Take a Second Look!

No commentary needed!

Our own "Personal Spa" on the Beach

The big decision each weekend is "where to go".  Last weekend we chose the Coromandel Peninsula, with Hahei as our destination.  It is norttheast of TeKauwhata on the coast.  Hot Water Beach was our first stop.  It is quite extraordinary!  We had heard reports of digging your own personal "spa pool", and saw pictures of folks sitting and relaxing in the hot water baths.  It is important to arrive 2 hours before low tide so that you can "stake your claim" on the beach.  We were told to bring a spade and a couple buckets and to start digging in front of a rocky outcropping at the middle of the beach where the water oozes up from beneath the surface.  I think the scientific explanation of the thermal heat has something to do with hot volcanic rock 2 km. below the surface heating water that escapes up these fissures in the rock.

We arrived in time to get a good spot.  Will dug out a nice pool for us assisted by a young fella from the UK.  According to comments made by others, our spot was the hottest on the beach.  In fact it was too hot for me.  Our neighbors in the adjoining pool noticed our problem and invited us to enjoy their comfortably warm spa pool.  I enjoyed chatting with the Australians who were touring NZ via a camper van.  (Many folks choose this mode of transportation.)  While I talked, Will swam.

Hydrangas and other beautiful flowers

The hydrangas are beautiful!  Many homes have blue, purple, and white hydrangas growing in the front yard.   Nelda emailed us, commenting on beauty of the agopanthus.  Those are the large blue and white lily-like flowers found at the entry to many homes.  I told the locals how much I liked these flowers and several folks commented, "Those are like weeds."  Apparently they "pop up all over the place and are hard to get rid of."  We often hear people talk about "popping in" and "popping up".

Flora and Fauna

New Zealand is absolutely beautiful!  The trees and forests of NZ are unique as they evolved in isolation for millions of years.  They claim that 80% of the fauna is found only in NZ.  There are massive Kauri trees, black fern trees and silver fern trees, low-lying ferns, flaxes, hydranges, and the pohutukawa (trees with tiny crimson petals which bloom along the coast in the summer)------just to name a few.

Pohutukawa------the most gorgeous tree I've ever seen!

These are the pohutukawa trees.  I just love this description------"The pohutukawa paint the coastline red in the summer with its tiny crimson petals."  Will and I took lots of pictures of this gorgeous tree and purchased an original watercolor featuring this tree growing along the Hahai beach where we spent the weekend.

Update on Hair Situation

For the girls out there reading this blog, I must tell you about the hair situation.  About 1/2 of the downtown TeKauwhata merchants know about my problem.  After discovering that I could no longer use my trustworthy large barrel curling iron, I began investigating.  The first stop was at the two Beauty Shops in town.  I talked with the beauticians and their customers.

Another factor------I forgot to pack my styling gel.  It was determined that there are no large barrel curling irons in NZ, only the small ones.  In talking with Robin, beautician at one of the shops, it was thought that the best bet would be to purchase a NZ hairdryer and try to find a large round styling brush.  The hunt began.  The next stop was at the Pharmacy where I purchased a large round brush.  Then across the street to Wests which sells about everything.  There I bought a hair dryer.  No curling irons in TeKauwhata.

Later that day I ran into a lady who was getting her hair cut at the first Beauty Shop I visited, and she asked how I was getting along.

The next day as I was walking down the street with Will, I got a big smile from a young lady who had sold me the brush and she said, "Looks good!"  Will looked at me in bewilderment and asked, "How does she know you?"

I returned to talk with Robin about the details in using the brush/dryer combo and she demonstrated the technique and recommended I use mousse as well since I didn't have my gel.

It is still a struggle for me, but I am slowly making progress.  Nothing is easy! 

Kathy's friends and medical work in NZ

This won't surprise many of you but Kathy's efforts to be friendly has reached new heights!
1  On the wine tour she discovered the life history of all 16 , many who were from different countries.
2 She has told you about meeting Mary on the ferry and getting invited to her cottage.
3 When we were at breakfast at the backpackers lodge, I was reminded how much more of an extrovert Kathy is when at breakfast no one was talking to each other till Kathy came in and immediately engaged other people from Holland in conversation. Many people were from Europe and Australia and I think really appreciated her friendliness, but yet were like me and wouldn't start a conversation with people from other countries whom they didn't know. Kathy has trouble understanding foreigners so has to ask them to repeat themselves, but this doesn't deter  her, like it would me. It's nice to have such a travel companion to ask all the questions!.
    
        I have worked 4 days in NZ and it is getting much easier. The most difficult part is learning their drugs and what is covered at a cost of only $3 and what isn't. It just takes extra time to look up the most similar med that I would use. So far they don't seem to use as much narcotics.  I can only write a narcotic prescription for 10 days at a time and they use the less potent codeine  more often rather than the more potent oxycodone or hydrocodone.
      Most surprising is that our patients have to drive 1 hr to get an x-ray so we don't get many. This does decrease utilization,but makes it more difficult to be sure your diagnosis and treatment are correct. They have a good ambulance service and the govt. pays for it without questions so it is used frequently. If you carry private insurance , you can get services and specialty care as quick as in US, but often will 2 to 5 mo. if you don't ---although it varies alot and is hard to generalize.
      All accidents and even medical mistakes ,called misadventures, are covered by the govt. This decreases litigation costs immensely and seems to be well accepted.  Most patients pay about $26 for an office visit, except children under 6 get free care. The patients are very friendly and don't pressure me for alot of meds or tests.  They need to get their chronic meds refilled and be seen every 3 mo, even when they are doing well.Lab tests are easy to get. The doctor gets the patient from the waiting room and takes the BP, unlike at home.  I like walking out to the waiting room, because sitting very long increases my low back pain.I have been lucky in that this is a quiet rural practice and is NOT very computerized.  They don't dictate notes, so I have to write them. I haven't had to see as many patients as in my practice so the pace is slower.
       I get to hear all their strange expressions and slang.  Hot burn is heartburn.  R's aren't emphasized.  Eentensive care for intensive.  The short e is an ay or long ee.  A lady stated being sick on holiday is real sucky!  The possum was throttled when he was caught by the neck in a trap.  When the patient said she figured out her problem , she registered it.  Men say lovely and spouses call each other love.
       I see alot of dairy farmers who seem to be very successful in exporting much to India and China---only 15% stays at home.  Fruit, timber and beef and dairy are their main exports which are rural products so they have a shortage of GP's in the rural areas. Since the country needs these products and there are alot of country people, the govt. supports rural GP's with this locums tenans program of which hired me.
  I enjoy the long evenings and green rolling countryside and huge trees the most am looking forward to some great hikes even around this less mountainous area.
    If your still with me,  thanks for reading it all!!
Will

A Flat Amongst the Olive Trees

We were told that we would be living in a motel with a kitchenette for the first two weeks in TeKauwhata.  I envisioned a very small, dark room with a mini-kitchen located in the downtown area.  Much to our surprise we were booked at Jonio's Olive Grove Estates.  It is absolutely beautiful here.  We have a flat---------nice size kitchen which is well stocked, a livingroom with tv and stereo system, bedroom with comfortable bed, and a bath.  We share our surroundings with several cows and roosters amongst the olive trees.

We were given a bottle of olive oil made from the olives on site------"These olives produce a complex, soft, smooth and delicate fresh flavour with a slight peppery finish.  Enjoy"-------sounds more like a wine!  I must say it was very delicious when mixed with balsamic vinegar as an appetizer.

Tuesday evening we were invited to Dr. Knight's home.  (It is a two man practice and the other doctor is on vacation.  In two weeks we will be in Dr. Knight's house while he is on vacation.  Remember me telling you that we would be on a kiwi farm?)  Dr. Knight, Jeff, and his wife, Ann (nurse who works three days at the clinic) do indeed live amongst the kiwi.  I had never seen kiwi trees--------they grow on an arbor-like structure with the fruit hanging down.  (Later, I will include a picture.)  It was a lovely evening.  Ann prepared a delicious meal of sirloin steak, gravy, roasted pumpkin and onions, boiled potatoes, and salad.  They served a local wine.  For dessert we had an apple crisp and cheese.  Observation:  the meat is so tender,  the cows are grass fed and that may be the reason.

Sunday evening we ate at the local pub.  The special on the chalkboard said, "Pavlova" which I was told to indulge in when in NZ.  (I have a picture of this decadent dessert. ) Here is a little additional info-------"If New Zealand has a national dessert it is pavlova, traditionally eaten at Christmas barbecues.  It is a giant egg-white meringue, smothered in whipped cream and topped with fresh fruit.  The dessert was originally made in honour of Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova, who visited New Zealand more than a century ago.  It is an unbeatable way to consume a large amount of sugar in one sitting."  We shared a huge piece and loved every bite.

Last evening Will and I went trekking.  There is a trail that runs from one end of the island to the other.  We got on one section near TeKauwhata and enjoyed the countryside.

Ann connected me up with a friend of hers (Joy) who loves to go trekking.  Joy invited me to go to Mt. William and hike in the rainforest.  We left today at 9:00 and returned at 3:00.  It was the best day!

The blog has become my journal.  Before I left Loveland, a friend told me to put in lots of pictures and not many words.  Recently, I got a email requesting pictures.  I will try to learn how to add pics.  People have found that it is easiest to write us a quick email to respond to the blog and tell us about what they are doing.  Please keep in touch.  Email address is reents.w@gmail.com 

Big Problem-----------Hair Care Devices Have Let Me Down!

Attention, all men---------skip this blog!

Ladies,  I have a big problem.  Before leaving the states I bought a convertor and adapter for my curling irons and hair dryer.  My hair is thick and straight as an arrow!  I had gotten use to using a large curling iron for body and a small one for the bangs.  Today the American made hair care devices failed me.  I spent the afternoon trying to solve the problem to no avail.  I visited the two beauty shops in town and the pharmacy and an appliance/variety store.  There were no curling irons to be found.  The gals at the beauty shop said that they hadn't seen any of those big curling irons like the one I described.  I did see a hair dryer at the appliance/variety store so I could purchase it and buy one of those big brushes that I saw at the pharmacy.  (Tracie Peterman Bleckie has been telling me for ages to use the hair brush/hair dryer combo, but I never got very good at it.)  I will have to think on this problem and will keep you posted.

Driving in New Zealand

I asked Will what I ought to say about our driving experiences--------driving on the left side of the road and having the driver's seat on the opposite side of the car.  He replied, "Nothing!  Wait until we have something to tell."  I am hoping that this will be the only blog about driving!  Will has done a great job., aside from turning on the window shield wipers numerous times instead of the turn signals.

Last night I took the wheel and found myself turning on the window shield wipers just as many times as Will!

I am learning to drive as I will be taking Will to work as we have wonderful accomodations in TeKauwhata---------we are living at Jonio's Olive Grove Estates amongst the olive trees.  It is beautiful! 

Wedding Crashers

Saturday we left Picton and took the scenic route to Nelson, stopping frequently along the way to take pictures.  As we drove along the coast we noticed many cars parked along the side of the road.  We turned around, thinking that this must be an especially beautiful scenic stop.  As we started walking up the road to a hiking path, we discovered that we were walking beside a woman dressed in silk, wearing high heels, holding the hand of a young boy wearing black pants and a white tuxedo-type shirt.   Bagpipes could be heard in the distance.  "What's going on?" I asked the fancy dressed lady.  She replied, "My daughter is getting married."  Will and I continued to the top of the hill where the guests were waiting for the arrival of the bride.  By this time will was saying, "Let's get out of here!"  So  we hurried to the start of the hiking trail.  At this point we were trapped as the ceremony had started.  Also trapped was a nice young couple from Holland who were riding their bikes all over the southern island.  Their 20 month old daughter was in the carrier behind one of the bikes and their camping gear was attached.  (What energy these young folks have!)  The "I do's " were said and the champagne popped, and we proceeded down the hill, calling ourselves "wedding crashers"!

We continued to Nelson where we checked into another one of those backpacker hostels.  We called our new friend, Mary whom we had met on the ferry.  We made plans to go to her cottage on the sea.  Mary's family cottage is around 100 years old and she has been coming there for as long as she can remember.  It is a darling cottage, painted green with red roof and accents.  When we arrived, Will and I walked on the beach and Will swam in the ocean.  I was the life guard.

Mary had made reservations at the Apple Shed located next to the sea.  The dinner was very special.  Mary suggested that we start with an olive plate--------Greek olives and green stuffed olives in a warm orange-flavored sauce, homemade crusted bread to dip into an olive oil/balsamic vinegar  and spread with roasted garlic.   We thought it only proper to have a  Nelson wine------Neudorf sauvignon blanc.  I ordered salmon with quinoa saffron and sultana pilaf with coconut yogurt dressing.  Will had the Apple Shed specialty---- the fish of the day, Turbot, with pea and prawn risotto with lemon hollandaise sauce. 

We enjoyed Mary's company as she told us about life, politics and work in NZ.  Mary is making a life change by returning to make the cottage her permanent home.

Good News----Will Got His Annual Practice Certificate

We have another change of plans.  Will starts work at TeKauwhata on Monday!  We will be flying from Nelson to Aukland on Sunday, renting a car and driving to TeKauwhata.  We are happy to be able to work in TeKauwhata for a month as the doctors were counting on us and we were looking forward to spending time in this little town of 1,200 people.   Now we can save our vacation time for later and can have time to plan it out in more detail.  After the month in TeKauwhata Will's cousin, Ron and his wife, Caroline, will join us for 2 weeks of traveling.  Our initial plan was to work for 3 months and travel for one month. 

The Wine Tasting Tour was great fun!  We joined 14 others and were driven by bus to 5 different wineries.  It was interesting to learn about the Marlborough area which produces 75% of New Zealand's wine.  I remember seeing the name, Marlborough, on many of the NZ wines sold in the states.  Monkey Bay is a NZ wine and we visited the winery where it is made.  We learned that if you like a special wine and you don't know if you can find it in the states, you can go to the website, www.winesearcher.com and enter the name of the wine.

 One of my personal favorites was a sweet after dinner wine called The Doctor's Riesling 2011.  I got such a kick out of the wordy description.  "NZ 'cult' wine.  All citrus on the nose with a hint of granny smith apples.  On the palate a touch of natural sweet fruit, then tart and tangy and the most delicate spice  A must in your fridge this summer!"  I know that when I get back to the states I will look for the NZ Marlborough wines.  They are known for their sauvignon blanc which is also a personal favorite of mine.

Frost and birds are the two enemies of the grapes.  To warm up the area, helicopters are hired at a cost of $2,000.00 per hour to move the air around to keep the temperature above freezing.  Nets are often used to prevent bird attacks.

Tomorrow we plan to drive up the coast from Nelson and enjoy the beaches.  We will be looking for the golden sand which they say is beautiful.  It will be our first day driving on the left side of the road.  Today we got front row seats on the bus and kept our eyes on the road so that we could get the feel for having the driver on the right hand side.   The bus driver gave us tips and some "rules of the road".

 

We're in the South Island

I must say that our experience in NZ is definitely an Adventure with a capital A.  Yesterday we took the 3 1/2 hour ferry trip to the south island.  We sat down by Mary, a lovely NZ woman.  In the time spent on the ferry we talked and talked, sharing about our lives and at the end Mary invited us to stay in the porch of her cottage, located on the coast outside of Tasman.   How kind of her!  We exchanged phone numbers and email addresses. 

 It was a beautiful day and as we approached the south island we were impressed with how green everything was----  just like the pictures in the guidebooks! 

We checked (cheeked, with the long e sound) into a Backpacker's Hostel.  I would say that we were the oldest ones out of the 80 + young folks staying here.  

We ate fresh snapper and beef pot pie at a nearby cafe.  Then we set off on a trek above the Picton harbor.  When it was time to turn around, I set my pack down on the trail and before I knew it, the pack was cascading down the cliff.  In typical "Kathy" fashion, I yelled and Will responded by nose-diving down the embankment, grabbing the the pack and luckily getting stopped by the bushes.  We laughed and laughed, but later realized how dangerous this was!

It doesn't get dark until after 9:00 so we took advantage of the daylight and strolled back to the hostel.  The hostel is quaint and colorful.  Our room is painted bright purple, my favorite color.  You can easily get lost trying to find the bathrooms.  This morning we had toast and jam with coffee in the communal kitchen.  The backpackers put their name on their food and store it in one of the refrigerators or on a labeled shelf.  Will set out to get us some food at a nearby grocery store.

We were to pick up a rental car, but since it is raining, we decided to cancel the car and book a 1/2 day winery tour of the Marlborough region.  We got this idea from talking with one of the young folks from Australia.   Previously, we thought we would trek along the Charlotte Trek where you can  be dropped off and picked up again by a water taxi.  It rained most of the night, so that idea was out.  We keep reminding ourselves that this is practice in being flexible. 

 Yesterday while on the ferry, Emma from NZ Locums, called our cell phone and said that there was a possibility that Will could begin work after all in TeKauwhata if they could get an ok from the NZ medical board.  If she gets approval, then we would fly on Sunday or Monday to Hamilton on the north island which is close to TeKauwhata.

Who knows where our next blog will come from!



 

Change in Plans

Instead of working for the next two weeks in TeKauwhata we will be traveling.  To work for NZLocums, a CGS is required.  During the application period, Will had his CGS (Certificate of Good Standing) sent via the postal service which is the requirement.  DORA, Department of Regulatory Agencies,  is responsible for providing these certificates.  The CGS has to be given within three months of Will's starting date.  NZLocums and Will thought that we were within the three month period as Orientation started Jan. 9th, but since he doesn't start working until Jan. 16th it is over the 3 month period.  Another certificate must be sent from the states.  An email is not sufficient.

This was a major disappointment, but we are trying to adapt and switch gears.   Since we are in Wellington, the southern tip of the north island, tomorrow we will be taking a ferry to the south island.  We will rent a car and travel for 2 weeks.  Then Will plans to work for 2 weeks in TeKauwhata.  Let's hope that all the paperwork arrives!!!

Surviving in a Foreign Country

Living in a foreign country even if they speak English presents some initial problems-----there is a learning curve.  The other day while writing our blog, I plugged in my laptop using the NZ adapter.  After an hour I looked at the % of battery power and to my surprise it registered 23%.  What was happening?  When I unplugged the adapter I noticed that on the black plug panel was an on/off switch.  I plugged in the adapter, plugged in the computer, flipped the switch and within no time I noted an increase in battery power!

 Second Aspect-----the Language.  Will and I love to hear the New Zealanders talk with their "British-like" accents, however, at times it is hard to understand what is being said.  Today a young girl told me that she liked My Accent! 
We are adding new words to our NZ Vocabulary:
lift---------elevator
torch------flashlight
"no worries" (said quickly)-------no problem
lovely-----------spoken by men and women

Today we purchased a mobile broadband kit for our computer.  The way I understand it, we will get internet coverage wherever there is cell phone coverage.  This should be helpful in the rural areas where we will be.

This afternoon NZLocums arranged for a Maori guide to give us a special tour of Te Papa with the emphasis on the Maori customs and belief systems.  He advised the doctors to ask the patient before touching their head otherwise they would be offended.  Another interesting custom is that they bury the placenta after childbirth.  Children are taught to not look at their elders when they are being spoken to.  (This is the opposite of what we teachers would expect from our students.)  Will and I hope to learn more about the Maori people-------500,000 in NZ.  

A Day In Wellington

I have internet connection for 1/2 hour so I will tell you more about our adventures.  Wellington is a beautiful city, but there is a cartoon image of residents bent doubled over as they struggle to make their way against the chilly wind.  We put on our raingear and got our umbrellas to head out.  First stop was Mr. Buns----recommended by a local at the hotel.  Mr. Buns is an all day breakfast bakery.  We got a table by the window and watched the people go by as we waited for chicken asparagus omelets and banana pancakes.  I noticed a rather large woman choosing a pie for lunch.  I asked her about it and she responded that New Zealanders enjoy minced meat pies for lunch.  Her personal favorite had mashed potatoes on top.  We'll be sure to try these on our journeys. 

 After a relaxed brunch we walked in the rain to Te Papa Museum-------free.  We were especially interested in learning about the native peoples, the Maori, so we headed to Floor #4 which had exhibits relating to their way of life.  Knowing our time was limited we purchased tickets for an hour guided tour of the museum.  It is my hope to return by myself while Will is in Orientation.

 One unusual exhibit was the earthquake house.  You stand in a frame house and feel the effects of a major earthquake.  (While I was typing my first post today, I noticed a couple sitting across from me.  When I looked up from typing, they started a conversation with me.  They are from Christ Church and told me all about the effects of the earthquakes on the people.  When we finished our conversation they gave me their phone number and email address and invited me to get in touch if we get to Christ Church.  I have heard that the people of NZ are friendly and on my third day I have proof!)

 On the way to our hotel we stopped at a little Malaysian cafe and ordered satay and curry chicken----delicious!  We decided that we can't eat out every meal so found a grocery/liquor store and stocked up on fruit, yogurt, cheese, fresh bread, and wine.  We will be learning about the NZ wines, but this time we took the recommendation of another New Zealander-------pinot gris from the Nelson area.

 Will is at Orientation today and I am a woman of leisure. 

 Until I blog again,
Kath

We Made It To New Zealand

Wednesday evening, Jan. 4th, the night before leaving for NZ, Will and I were busy packing and "ticking off" as the New Zealanders would say, our list which had grown to #83. 

 Diana, Michaele, and Ellie, close family friends, will be house sitting for us while we're gone.  For this reason, we were dumping clothes in boxes to open up dresser drawers and transferring hanging clothes from one closet to another.  At 2:30 A.M. we hit the sack and were awakened 4 hours later at 6:30 by our alarm. 

 Our flight went well and we were able to sleep, arriving in Aukland feeling rested.  The only set back occurred when they weighed our carry-on bags and found them to be overweight.  Problem solved by paying more money.

 We flew from Aukland to Wellington, a one hour flight.  Wellington is the capitol of NZ and located at the south of the north island.  We spent a "lovely" day riding the cable car and touring the Botanical Gardens which were established in 1868.  The Lady Norwood Rose Garden has 106 beds. 

 Wellington has long been compared to San Francisco.  Quoting from the guidebook, "In addition to a susceptibility to earthquakes and a punishingly hilly topography, both cities have a superb coastal location with ocean vistas, an abundance of cool, sunny weather, and a shared penchant for old wooden houses done up in rainbow colors."  Like San Francisco, Wellington has cable cars.

 On Sunday we woke up to rain.  Our friends, the Daleys, had called us on Wednesday before we left town to tell us to bring rain pant, rain jackets, umbrellas, and ponchos.  They had just returned from a trip to Australia and NZ and had encountered rain.  Following their advice, we were prepared for our Sunday adventure.

 I will post this now as I have limited internet connection and may loose it all if it goes out on me.